The barbell is a steel bar that allows you to perform a wide range of exercises and thus give more movement and enthusiasm to your workouts.
However, you need to get the right barbell based on the workout you are performing.
Each barbell has well-defined characteristics and it is important to choose the one that best suits us.
For this reason, today you will see the 3 types of barbell and their differences.
In addition, you will find out what the advantages of the barbell are and you will also find at the bottom of the article some exercises that you can do in the gym or at home, depending on where you prefer.
Start ?
Types of barbells
The barbell is a steel bar to which you can add weight thanks to cast iron discs. Simply slip them on at the ends and secure them with clips so you can do your exercises without worrying about the load falling off.
To understand which barbell is best for you, you should know that there are 3 types: the olympic barbell, the powerlifting barbell and the hybrid barbell.
Olympic barbell
Its elastic structure will help you push during the various exercises and thanks to the easily rotating cylinders and ball bearings, you will find it much easier to rotate your palms.
In addition, the olympic barbell has markings that are farther from the center than the powerlifting barbell and are benchmarks for competitions.
Powerlifting barbell
The powerlifting barbell is stiffer because it is designed to lift heavier loads and perform exercises such as squats, deadlifts or bench press.
You will therefore have a hard bar, perfect for maintaining stability during lifts and other movements.
Grip marks are closer together and are used in official competitions to check the position of the hands.
Finally, powerlifting barbells have a more accentuated central knurl (a rough part that is located in the center of the barbell) to allow you to have a firm grip and prevent the barbell from slipping off your back while you perform the exercises.
For all these reasons, you should never confuse the two types of barbells: they have different characteristics and are used in very different exercises.
Hybrid barbell
The hybrid barbell, also called double marked, is a special piece of equipment because it can be used for both Olympic and powerlifting lifts.
It is certainly the most adaptable barbell and for this reason also the most common on the market.
It is usually recommended for beginners or people who train at home because it will be necessary to buy and learn how to use only one piece of equipment instead of two.
Finally, we could find a fourth type of barbell, albeit a bit peculiar.
Curved barbell
The curved barbell was created to train the muscles of the arms and back exclusively, so it does not train the whole body like the other three barbells, but it is a great workout for your biceps and triceps.
Its shape is designed to facilitate the grip and reduce pressure on the wrists, thus avoiding possible injuries.
But can the barbell also be used for CrossFit ?
Of course, but be careful not to confuse this barbell with the gym barbell, let’s see the differences.
Comparison: crossFit and gym barbell
CrossFit is a high-intensity workout that combines exercises from various sports, including weightlifting.
You will change the movements you perform and the stimuli to your muscles, so you will keep your motivation high and you will train your body in a complete way.
Speaking of barbells, olympic CrossFit barbells are used in this sport that have specific characteristics, such as size.
The men’s olympic barbell weighs 20 kg, has a length of 220 cm and a grip diameter of 28 mm.
The women’s olympic barbell weighs 15 kg, is 205 cm long and has a diameter of 25 mm.
Finally, there is the junior olympic barbell used by young lifters that weighs 10 kg, measures between 150 and 180 cm and the grip diameter is 25 mm.
Men’s barbells are the best-selling ones and you will find them more easily. Many manufacturers also offer the women’s version, while the junior Olympic barbell is harder to find.
When we talk about gym barbells, on the other hand, we mean tools designed to meet more general needs and therefore suitable for exercises that typically take place in the gym; in fact, these steel rods are not recommended for CrossFit.
They are not barbells for official competitions but they are perfect for training with more normal weights.
When to use the barbell
First of all, we recommend that you learn how to use the barbell under the guidance of an experienced person.
It is a very versatile tool but must be used carefully to avoid hurting yourself.
Learn how to perform the movement in the correct way, first without using weights, and by being followed by your personal trainer.
Once you feel the exercise is yours then you can increase the load and do all the exercises, even at home if you prefer.
When should I start using it ?
If your goal is to increase your muscle strength, you’ll definitely have to start at some point. The barbell, in fact, allows you to reach ever greater loads and progress over time.
You can also train with dumbbells but in this case you will have to pay attention to move the weights in a coordinated way.
With the barbell everything is easier because you have a single bar that you grip with both hands and this allows you to move not only more stable but also more balanced.
In addition, with the barbell you will be able to lift heavier weights than dumbbells or kettlebell
Obviously, I’m not saying that you will have to give up these last two tools, on the contrary, they are perfect for stimulating your muscles in different ways thanks to monopodalic exercises, for example.
Another advantage of the barbell is that it allows you to train the whole body in a complete way, by inserting different exercises in the card; But which ones exactly?
Let’s look at some movements you can learn.
Barbells: exercises and how to do them
Let’s talk about 3 fundamental exercises: deadlifts, bench presses, and squats.
Deadlift
The deadlift (or deadlift) is an exercise that involves the leg muscles, gluteus, latissimus dorsi, posterior deltoid, pectoralis major, and many others.
It is one of the main exercises performed with the barbell and allows you to lift as much weight as possible.
Start in a standing position with the barbell positioned above your foot, about halfway through.
Descend distributing your weight well over your entire foot and keep your elbow extended.
Bend your hip and knees just enough to grip the bar and make sure your back is as close to the strength position as possible.
Inhale inflating your belly and contract your abdomen muscles.
Look forward to a fixed point and lift while extending your spine, hips and knees at the same time.
Extend your knees and place your pelvis further forward than your shoulders.
At this point, lower yourself and return to the starting position.
As far as the grip is concerned, you can decide for the double prone, hooked or mixed that you see in the image.
In the double prone grip you will have both hands facing you.
If, on the other hand, you want to hold the barbell more firmly, you can place your thumb between your fingers in the so-called hook grip. If you’re going to feel pain the first few times, it’s normal, you’ll just have to get used to it.
In the mixed grip you will have one hand prone and the other supine. It is a more stable grip than the double prone but you must know how to do it correctly because if you flex your supine arm you risk tearing your biceps.
Bench press
In this multi-joint exercise, you will train the pectoralis major, triceps, and anterior deltoid.
Start by lying on your back on the bench press and activating the scapular set-up to avoid taking any risks.
Your position in relation to the barbell is important: in particular, you should be with your eyes below it. If you’re too far forward, you’ll risk hitting the supports during movement, and if you’re too far back, it will become more difficult to detach.
Once you’re in the correct position, grab the barbell and with your feet firmly planted on the ground slowly detach it from the rack.
Inhale and bring the barbell to your chest to about the level of your sternum.
And finally, push until you return to the starting position and exhale.
Remember to keep the joint set-up throughout the movement to perform the exercise at your best and train effectively but above all not to put your shoulders at risk: it is important to follow advice and avoid mistakes as much as possible.
Squat
Thanks to the squat, you can train your legs, glutes and stabilizing muscles.
Start upright with your knees almost fully extended and the barbell resting well on the upper bundles of the trapezius.
The feet can be shoulder-width apart or slightly wider but always firmly on the ground and with the weight distributed over the entire sole.
Inhale and slowly flex your knees almost as if you want to sit down, but never go beyond your toes with them.
It reaches below the parallel, i.e. with the hip below the upper line of the knee joint.
Wait a second and work your way up to the starting position.
Once you reach it, exhale.
Before performing this movement with heavy weights, we recommend that you start without discs, to avoid injury. Once you’ve mastered the exercise perfectly, then you can start loading.
Conclusion
We hope this article has helped you discover the barbell that is right for you and your training.
Including barbell exercises in your workout will help you train comprehensively and increase your muscle strength. If you don’t have them in your workout yet, we recommend adding them as soon as possible.
We just have to wish you a good workout !
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